Five Innerwear Hacks Every Girl Should Know

Let’s be real for a second – Most of us Pakistani girls grow up thinking innerwear is meant to be beige, ugly and only to be talked about in hushed tones. Not to forget that you’re in a constant competition for the Best Kept Secret Award so one accidental display of a bra strap and you’re out. The competition judges (aka society) are unforgiving and there are no second chances. Categorising innerwear as what it really is (just pieces of clothing serving a purpose) seems as impossible as the chance of rain in Karachi.

This means it becomes the unspoken fate of every desi girl to re-discover all the tricks that the generations of women before her have already unearthed. How much simpler would life be if we could all just benefit from each other’s wisdom without any unnecessary judgment? I figured there’s no harm giving it a shot so here we are. Before I jump into these five super simple hacks that will change your life forever (modesty runs in ma blood), I also thought I’d share one of my favourite posts done on this subject. This one on The Desi Wonder Woman blog covers all the basics about sizes, bra types, maintenance and more without boring you to death (not an easy task).

Now let’s talk business (also plss share your own hacks with me; having a one-sided conversation is a lot less fun than I let on):

1) Use a strap holder to keep that bra/chemise strap out of sight

Some of you may already know this one but it’s SO very handy. All you need is a strip of cloth or even some strong thread and a pair of tich buttons (yeah, they’re actually called that, I looked it up!). You can sew these on the inside shoulder of any garment and use it to hold the bra or chemise strap in place so you don’t have to constantly worry about pushing it back in. Also, I’ve noticed quite a few local brands have started incorporating these into their clothes which is awesome (for lack of a better adjective. at least I didn’t say amaze-balls).

2) Turn a standard bra into a racerback

If you’re wearing a top where this type of bra would work better or you’re just in the mood to change things up but don’t own a racerback, you can create your own. All you need is a paperclip and the will to experiment. Bring the straps together at the back and hold them into place with the paper clip and ta daa. Easier than pie.

3) Store them right

I don’t know about you but I’ve definitely been guilty of crumpling up all my undergarments into a ball and stuffing them into a drawer/cupboard. Turns out that’s not very conducive to them having a long life. If you’re looking to have a long term relationship with your bras, always open them up and stack them neatly on top of each other. Folding can crease the padding and mess up the shape.

4) Find out your sister sizes

And by that I don’t mean, asking your sisters their sizes and giving them false hope that you’re planning to buy them a present which you’re not. Each bra size has a combination of sister sizes. What this means is that sometimes when you love a specific print or style but can’t find it in your size, it’s possible that a sister size might do the trick. Of course, it’s important to try it on first but the idea opens up so many possibilities! You can read more about sister sizes (and also find out what your sister sizes are) over here.

5) Get bras that fit on the loosest adjustment

So even when the band stretches out after washing and multiple uses, it will still fit you on the tighter adjustments.

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All of that said, when it comes to lingerie shopping in Pakistan, there aren’t a whole lot of options which sucks. For instance, I’ve been in search of a white camisole for AGES. But everything I would come across would either be too see through (which defeats the purpose) or too short (I’m tall so this is a problem I face with many clothing purchases). I finally managed to find my perfect white tank top courtesy of BLS (British Lingerie Studio). Behold!

It’s stretchy and comfortable and the material seems durable. Though I haven’t put it to the wash test yet. Also, it’s for PKR 800 which is pretty reasonable for the quality. They import their stuff from Britain (in case you hadn’t already guessed) and have some pretty cool options. Not everything is breathtaking but I’m willing to bet you’ll find something you like. They have many outlets in Pakistan so you can check out whichever is most accessible.